Site catchment analysis in archaeology

Abstract

This article discusses the concept of site catchment analysis. Site catchment refers to the analysis of a site with regard to the resources present and the ability of humans to exploit said resources. Jarmon et al finds that humans are likely to occupy the most environmentally advantageous area, whether or not that area is typical of the surrounding ecosystem. For example, in a desert people are going to gather in the oasis, which is atypical of the region. Jarmon et al state that archaeologists must be conscious of this tendency to exploit the most promising lands in order to avoid misinterpreting the paleoclimate of the region.